Ab Aeterno
by SmugBoi
Summary: Yhwach had consumed all worlds. Ichigo returns from the brink of death, as a Grim Reaper in the service of Hades. Unknown enemies and familiar faces threaten the very existence of humanity, and it's up to Ichigo to make sure that the souls of the dying finally get the peace they deserve.


_The Great War was a bloody conflict._

_The three factions of Christianity, after centuries of tension, brought the armed conflict to each other. The angels descended from the heavens, commanded by the Archangels, overseen by the Seraphim, and all in the service of God. The fallen angels — led by the Grigori, former watchers of the Tower of Babel — came out from the shadows. Finally, the devils, ruled by the Four Great Satans, with Lucifer at their head, emerged from the Underworld._

_Historians had debated the cause of the war over many years, with various reasonings being brought to the table each and every time. Some would say that it was simply a matter of eliminating threats, claiming that the factions did not want to see each other overpower one another. Others argue that the conflict was sparked through more personal reasons, as many believe that the leaders of all factions harbored severe grudges. _

_For this war, the Underworld was the main battlefield. In fear of involving the world of humans, Heaven decided to rush into the hellish realm. The devils and fallen had already begun with their various skirmishes, mainly over territorial disputes as both factions shared the Underworld. The angels hoped to put a quick end to their enemies. They were sure that taking them by surprise by storming the Underworld was a flawless plan._

_It was proven otherwise._

_The portals that the angels had used to enter the Underworld had been sealed the moment all their legions had passed through. It turned out their assault had been expected by the devils for a long time, and they had taken the necessary precautions. With no way out, or to get reinforcements, the angels were forced to partake in a threeway deadlock. For the longest time, neither faction gained the upper hand. Battles ranged from quick and unnoticed to long and agonizing. For many years, it seemed like the war would remain as an eternal stalemate. _

_Until the fallen were forced to retreat._

_Their faction was naturally the smallest, seeing as they could only gain new manpower through angels falling. Their numbers quickly dwindled as the seemingly endless forces of the angels and devils rampaged through the Underworld. Azazel, the de facto leader of the Grigori, made the decision to pull out of the conflict. The fallen fled to the corners of the Underworld, with preventing their extinction as their priority. Not all fallen were content with Azazel's decision, and this would cause for a divide among the Grigori for many years to come. _

_With one faction taken care of, the angels and devils had all the time to focus on each other. The angels however realized that without means of connecting with Heaven, they too would eventually be drained of manpower. Hence the decision was made to attempt through a hard and direct hit on the devils. The death of their leaders._

_Asmodeus, the Infernal Demon of Lust, was the first to fall. It was no secret Asmodeus had a thirst for the flesh of women, and wherever he went he carried hoards of fresh slaves and concubines with him. It was customary for Asmodeus to have some intimate time with his women after the end of a battle. During one of these vulnerable moments of downtime, the angels ambushed Asmodeus and his forces. The Infernal Demon met his end by countless of light spears. The angels had been ordered to slaughter all the slaves as well, as the commanders feared some women might be carrying offspring. Most angels cut through them with no remorse, however some realized their former sisters were amongst the slaves as well. They had been forced into falling through submitting to Asmodeus. The angels ended the suffering of their former comrades with tears in their eyes, but some could not stand to butcher the ones they cared about. _

_Next was Leviathan, the Sea Serpent of Envy. She was a vile and ruthless woman who was constantly at the front of battle, destroying the angels she saw as inferior. She despised anything that was more beautiful than her, and anything that was stronger than her. The angels decided to exploit her sin. The Archangel Gabriel, who many saw as Leviathan's arch nemesis, confronted the Satan in a duel. Leviathan had been thrilled to put an end to Gabriel, but was unable to do so as Gabriel came well prepared. This drove Leviathan into rage, and she transformed from her form as a beautiful lady into a terrifying sea monster. This was when Gabriel's army struck, and Leviathan's grotesque form was attacked from all sides. Leviathan died with tears leaking from her monstrous eyes, not even given the privilege to die as her beautiful self, but forced to die as the ugly monster that was envious of everything and everyone._

_Beelzebub, Lord of the Flies, followed after. This Satan was known as the brains of the devils, and hid himself on the floating islands of Agreas. Beelzebub was responsible for developing the many powerful war machines the devil's possessed, the tools that had killed so many angels. Ambushing Beelzebub was near impossible, so all the angels could do was lay siege to his fortress, Slowly but surely they broke through the walls, getting closer to their target. Beelzebub could not live with the thought of Heaven getting their hands on his research, and blew up his entire stronghold. The armies that were coming for his head were wiped out, along with Beelzebub's attendants and the Satan himself._

_Now there was only one left._

_Lucifer had not appeared on the battlefield once. He simply sat on the throne in his palace, not taking a single action to intervene. Various servants and powerful devils came to the capital of Lucifaad everyday, throwing themselves at Lucifer's feet to beg him to do something. But Lucifer would just sit there, smiling with his eyes closed. Even as he was warned that the angel forces were coming closer and closer to the capital, he did not do a thing._

_Until one day. The faithful day that would bring an end to the War._

_The portals the angels had used to enter the Underworld had miraculously reopened, as blinding lights descended down onto the scorched earth. The angels did not know why, but their strongest ally had appeared. God himself had come down to bring the final judgement._

_With renewed confidence and vigor, the forces of Heaven rushed through the devil armies, determined to bring a quick end to this endless war. They slowly came closer to the capital, and all attempts of stalling them by the devils were in vain._

_It was then that Lucifer stood up from his throne, took his pitch black blade in hand, and walked towards the battlefield._

_The devils rejoiced as their true leader arrived, the strongest of the Satans, the Father of All Devils. Lucifer ignored all the cheers and bows that followed as he walked along. When he saw the sights of the first few angel troops, he raised his sword. The destruction that followed annihilated the incoming angels and the surrounding devils. Lucifer continued to obliterate anyone that stood in his path, be it friend or foe. Heaven's newfound morale crumbled to dust as Lucifer erased their existences. After hours and hours of carnage, the empty battlefield finally allowed the two faction leaders to come in contact. God and Lucifer stood eye to eye._

_Their battle seemed like an eternity. Darkness and light clashed, yet neither could destroy the other. The few survivors watched the duel from a distance, unable to mutter a single word, let alone attack their enemy. They very well knew in the back of their heads, that the outcome of this fight would determine all their fates. _

_Deafening silence filled the entire Underworld. Not a single sound was heard as Lucifer drove his sword through God. As Lucifer stood over the corpse of God, the insane grin that had adorned his face during the battle faded into a frown. The remaining angels fled the scene, scurrying to the portals. The devils rushed to their leader's aid, and the gravely wounded Lucifer wobbled back to the capital._

_The Satan Palace doors were shoved open as Lucifer returned. His wife Lilith, his young son Rizevim and various high ranking devils watched with wide eyes as the last remaining Satan limped back to his throne. His black coat and armor were tattered and broken. Blood dripped from his body, creating a red carpet as he moved around. His sword dragged along the floor as he barely held onto it with his limp arm. Lucifer turned around as soon as he reached his throne. He looked every single devil in the room in the eye, and the devils witnessed emotions they thought they would never see from Lucifer. Confusion and disappointment filled his gaze. With his final breath, the Satan proclaimed._

''_God is dead.''_

_With that, Lucifer collapsed. His wife, son and the loyal devils of the house of Lucifuge rushed to him. The other devils remaining stood there in silence, various thoughts going through their heads. Many thought this was finally their chance. With Lucifer's death, the oppressive reign of the Satans was over. This could be their chance to finally bring change to devil society. A large group of others present was still loyal to Lucifer and his ideals though, and they were determined to continue in the stead of the Satans. This disagreement would later lead to a civil war, which would cost many more devils their lives._

_Shortly after the deaths of God and Lucifer, the factions held a meeting. It was obvious to all of them that continuing the war would lead to the demise of the Biblical factions as they knew them. All three factions had been weakened to an extreme degree, and this would also draw the attention of other pantheons. No one was in the state to go through another war. For the sake of preservation, a treaty was signed, and the Great War had officially come to an end. No one knew whether the peace was going to last. Some were not planning on keeping things peaceful at all, others were hoping to prevent a conflict like this to happen ever again. But the factions had been unaware. They did not know that their futures had already been decided._

_From the moment of Lucifer's death to the signing of the treaty, someone had been watching. Someone outside of the biblical factions. No one knew, and no one would know anytime soon._

_The course of history had changed._

_**~~Ab Aeterno~~**_

As always, Ichigo could not see a thing.

The room, that was more like a cell in the first place, did not have a single source of light. No lamps, no candles, no barred window that would let in the faintest glimmers of moonlight. Every waking moment, Ichigo was surrounded by complete darkness. It didn't matter much, considering there was nothing to be seen anyway. Whenever Ichigo reached out to touch, his fingertips would either meet the cold stone of the walls, or grasp for empty air. All he was sure of was that he was covered in robes, and that a mask rested on his face.

He had spent a long time here. How long exactly, he didn't know. It felt like an eternity ever since he went outside, and saw anything else but the darkness. He wasn't dead, but he barely felt alive. Everyone else he had once known was dead, so why would his existence matter?

He vaguely remembered the circumstances of his survival. He was on his knees in his final confrontation with Aizen, and things were looking grim for him. After that he remembered wallowing on his knees, as Tsukishima and Ginjo walked away from him with his hard earned powers he had just regained. Finally was his battle with Yhwach, where it all ended. The world of the living, Soul Society, Hueco Mundo. Nothing was left. After that event, all he remembered was him lying in the mud, rain gently drizzling upon his broken body. A shadow loomed over him, and all he could recall was that it offered him a 'chance to live'.

Ichigo let out a deep sigh. Why had he accepted again? Maybe it would've just been better to have died. That way, there could've been a chance to meet up with all his friends and loved ones in whatever afterlife was left for him.

_Knock knock._

Ichigo's head shot up. Were his ears deceiving him? He could've sworn that he had heard a noise coming from somewhere.

_Knock knock._

The sound of the knocking persisted, becoming louder and louder with each bang. Ichigo was sure of it. There was a noise coming from somewhere. He frantically moved his head around, hoping to locate the source of the sudden sound.

''No response from ya, huh? Well, don't mind me then. I'm comin' in.''

The creaking that followed sent shivers up Ichigo's spine. Bright light blinded his eyes as something akin to the form of a door opened. Once Ichigo's eyes had adjusted to the light, he managed to make out the shadowy figure that stood in the doorframe. It was perhaps the oldest man Ichigo had ever seen. Not a single spot on the man's skin was free on wrinkles. His long, white beard dragged along the ground, The grey robes the man wore were so tattered someone would think he had worn them since the day he was born. The old man's greeting towards Ichigo was a toothless grin.

''Charon…?'' Ichigo said. His voice cracked, and his throat felt dry. He could not recall the last time he had spoken.

''At least ya remember that much,'' the man, now identified as Charon, chuckled, ''I know it's been quite some time since ya been outside, but we gotta get movin'. The boss is waiting.''

Yes, Ichigo did know this man. But why had he come for him now? He had not seen Charon for years like the man had said himself. Ichigo's knees shook as he got up from the floor. He hadn't walked a single step since his time in isolation either.

''Whoa there, buddy. Need some help?'' Charon wobbled over towards Ichigo, and supported his frail body. ''Just hold on for a lil' bit. The boat isn't too far from here.''

The two of them left the cell, making sure to take each step nice and slow. For the first time in forever, Ichigo saw the world outside of the darkness he had been confined in.

The sky was grey, horribly so. It was like an eternal wall of clouds had gathered in the sky, determined to not let a single ray of sunshine through. The ground they stood on was rough, dry, and lifeless. Not a single piece of flora was to be seen anywhere. The wind did not blow. Not a single animal or lifeform besides Ichigo and Charon walked through this lifeless landscape. All that could be heard was the distant sound of flowing water. Ichigo started to remember.

This was Hades, realm of the dead.

Charon gently guided him downhill, and the sound of the water became louder with each step they took. Ichigo did not bother to look back and see what his ''cell'' had looked like. All he could focus on were the vague memories that plagued his mind, as the pieces of the puzzle slowly started coming together. Endless questions invaded his brain.

_Who am I?_

_Why am I here?_

_Why do I exist like __**this?**_

''We're here.''

Charon's voice snapped Ichigo out of his stupor. He had only now realized that the sound of the water he was hearing earlier had become rather loud. No wonder, he was standing right in front of an enormous river. The water was as murky and grey as the sky it reflected. A small wooden boat — that looked like it could fall apart at any moment — floated near the coast. It was not bound to anything, but strangely enough did not seem to be carried away by the current.

''C'mon, get in.'' Charon ushered Ichigo onto the boat, gently pushing his back. As soon as Ichigo had sat down, Charon jumped on himself. He reached into the dark waters, and pulled out a wooden pole. With that, they paddled away onto the Styx.

''Charon,'' Ichigo started. He was getting used to the sound of his voice again, and using his vocal chords seemed almost like a chore. He didn't remember ever sounding so melancholic. ''How long has it been? Since I've been, you know, in there?''

Should he be asking questions in the first place? Perhaps it was wiser to wait and see?

''Oh jolly, how long has it been indeed. Years, definitely. Centuries, maybe. At the time, it was for the better. The boss was uncertain whether ya would survive. Seems like ya head paid the price for it though, ya don't seem to remember much.'' Charon chuckled as he continued to paddle along the river. Ichigo did not respond, prompting to simply look at the passing water instead.

For its filthy and grim appearance, the river seemed surprisingly calm. It seemed so serene, almost deceivingly so. As they got farther up the river, glowing lights started to emit from the water, coming closer to the surface. Their radiance was almost intoxicating, pulling Ichigo closer towards the water. He almost felt like he _needed_ to know what these lights were, their very essence ensnaring his mind.

Ichigo almost fell backwards when countless bleak faces started swimming around the boat. People ranging from young and old, all with pained expressions on their faces, drifted around just beneath the surface. They were clearly in agony, their arms flailing in futility as they tried to reach up to the boat, attempting to free themselves from the curse of the river.

''Don't worry about them, kid, they can't do a thing,'' Charon said with a laugh. ''Those poor souls couldn't pay for the trip to the other side of the river. Usually ya should stay on the shore then, but these sods thought it was a good idea to try and swim across.'' Charon turned around, and gave Ichigo a grin. ''Don't go looking too close over the edge though, some of them might wanna make ya join their company.''

Ichigo decided to heed Charon's advice, and backed away. He was still close enough to keep an eye on the river. The haunted souls continued to float around the boat, still as pained as ever. But Ichigo also saw another thing; his own reflection. He saw the pitch black robes wrapped around his body, he saw the hood that hid his orange hair, but most importantly, he saw his mask.

The mask of a Hollow.

He thought he would never see it again, certainly not after his powers had changed once more during the battle against the Quincies. But it was indeed the very same white skull on his face, covered by another set of jagged red markings. One thing Ichigo noticed however, was that his eyes were still the same. They hadn't taken the darkened form of his Hollow eyes. Perhaps the mask, despite it's terrifying appearance, was nothing more than an innocent prop this time?

''Well, looks like we're here.'' Charon's voice rang out, gaining Ichigo's attention once more. It had barely felt like a minute, but they indeed had crossed the entirety of the gigantic river. They were docked across a shoreline that was almost identical to the one from which they had departed. Another grey, barren wasteland. Though this side from the river had one significant difference that made it stand apart.

The gigantic temple like building.

It stood alone in the desert like landscape. It reminded Ichigo of how Las Noches towered over the sandy plains of Hueco Mundo. A set of stairs led up to the actual temple, and alongside it stood countless pillars. The marble the building was made of looked cracked and corroded, like no one had ever bothered to take care of the exterior. The many pillars laid broken and in shambles. Ichigo imagined that the place would have looked quite beautiful if it hadn't been this run down. Now it was just as pitiful as the rest of this world.

''Go on now,'' Charon muttered as he pushed Ichigo out of the boat, ''my job here is done. I'm not allowed to go with ya up the stairs. so it's all you from now on.''

Ichigo nodded, muttering a quick thanks. He started walking up the countless steps towards the top of the temple, taking on the pilgrimage towards the unknown.

His heart started beating faster, as an unknown sensation tugged at his chest. An incredible sense of deja vu overwhelmed him with each step he took. He knew he had been here before, he just didn't know under what circumstances. Perhaps his answers would lie at the top of the temple.

Slowly, shadows started appearing beside the stairs, standing on top of the crumbled pillars. They wore dark cloaks, just like he did, and their faces were covered in skull like mask, just like his. Their cloaks varied from a greyish color similar to the wasteland they were in, to a drowning black as dark as night. None matched the overwhelming darkness of Ichigo's cloak.

They were Grim Reapers, envoys of death. Much like Shinigami, yet nothing alike at the same point. Their masked gazes followed Ichigo as he walked up the stairs, watching him like a hawk stalking its prey. Ichigo did not look at a single one of them, but he knew they were staring at him. Their figures slowly started fading, dissipating into the darkness as Ichigo had reached the top of the temple.

It was an open space, the only ceiling present was the cloudy sky. This part of the temple seemed to be in an even worse state than the stairs leading up to it. The pillars were crumbled into tiny pieces, the walls that were once present were reduced to rubble, and the floor had various holes in it that would surely lead someone to their untimely deaths if they were to fall through. The only object left unscathed was the throne at the end of the ''room'', and it was currently occupied.

Ichigo walked, with not a single ounce of hesitation, towards the _thing_ sitting on the throne. He did not waver, he did not think, it was as if his body was purely moving on its own. He halted in front of the towering figure.

''Hades.''

The skeletal figure, dressed in rich and elegant robes, folded its hands together. Its bones creaked with every movement it made. The glowing particles that replaced its eyes were focused right on Ichigo. Its mouth hinged open, and a slow, hollow laughter rang out, making the temple itself shake.

''You've done well to remember, Ichigo Kurosaki. I expected your mind to be in a more fragile state after such a long time in isolation. Your ability to recover is truly astounding.'' Hades leaned back in his throne, hands folded on his ribcage. Tell me, how are you feeling?''

Ichigo gritted his teeth. He knew this was Hades, lord of this world. He knew this was his realm. He knew the Grim Reapers were his soldiers.

He knew Hades was the one who saved him.

But why did he know? Why did his thoughts not go back to Karakura Town, his friends, his family, Soul Society? Why was he the only one left out of everyone?

''You must be feeling very confused,'' Hades answered the question himself, ''but like Charon might've told you, it was necessary. You were lingering on the brink of death for the longest time, and it would've been a waste if you would have succumbed after all my efforts.''

''You're talking as if you kept me alive for a purpose,'' Ichigo growled. Anger was starting to leak out of his voice. Hades leaned forward, resting his skull on his skeletal hand.

''Power is the most valuable thing in the world, Ichigo. Riches, fame, affection. All are but things that follow along once power has been obtained. Even as your body was broken, as your consciousness was fading, I could see you were a person that held power. More power than most, in fact.'' Hades let out a huff, and it felt like a gust of wind passed along. ''To let such power fade away would be a foolish decision.''

''You think I'm gonna serve as some kind of tool for you?!'' Ichigo shouted. He reached towards his back, and pulled. His hands traced cold steel. It felt like his heart had almost stopped beating. His eyes went wide behind his mask, as he turned to look at he was holding.

It wasn't the Zangetsu he knew. It didn't feel like Zangetsu. It's form had returned to when he had first learned its name, a big, thick, knifelike greatsword. Dark bandages covered the blade, in stark contrast to the white cloth that had covered it before. Ichigo's hand shook as he turned the sword around, gazing at it in shock. It barely felt like a Zanpakuto. He had not felt its presence at all, but the fact that he just drew it made it evident that it had been with him the whole time.

Another burst of laughter escaped Hades' mouth. ''Such a rebellious soul. It's quite admirable.'' Hades' glowing eyes turned into smaller orbs, almost as if he was narrowing his eyes. ''Even if you were to strike me down now, what would that gain you? You have nowhere to go, let alone the means to escape my realm. All you would gain would be the scorn of my subordinates.''

Ichigo stared down Hades, his brown eyes gazing into Hades' glowing ones. He hand still shook as he loudly impaled his blade into the floor. Hades' mouth creaked, almost as if he was trying to smile.

''Good,'' Hades said. ''Now please contain yourself as I explain a few things from you. As you might have realized, in order to keep you alive I had to turn you into a Grim Reaper. It's a complicated process which I will save you the details of, but in short, you are not under my influence like the others. I can keep an eye on my own soldiers and control their actions, even the strongest of Reapers I can control to a certain degree. However, since you were not born within my realm as a Grim Reaper, I do not hold the same power over you.''

''Why would tell me such a thing?'' Ichigo asked, confused. Would it not benefit Hades if he was unaware of the fact that he couldn't control him?

Hades shrugged. ''Why wouldn't I? I do not hold a single thing against you. I don't wish to interfere neither your goals, or ambition. Simply see what I ask of you as repaying the debt to the man you owe your life to.''

Ichigo remained silent, prompting Hades to continue. ''What I'm about to tell you is a fact unknown to many others in this world. There are many beings like me. Gods, spirits, divine beings. Most of them are part of a certain collective. Now one of these collectives, consisting of three factions, stood on top for the longest time. Many think it still does, actually. Even after the Great War these three factions were still considered the strongest. Except, that is not actually the reality of things.''

Hades raised single boney finger, and wagged it around.

''The most important figure of this collective of three factions, is dead.''

Ichigo swallowed a lump in his throat.

''This being is what the majority of humanity would refer to as 'God'. He had been killed,'' Hades continued with his story, ''those three factions simply kept it a secret, in order to make sure this wouldn't compromise their position. Even they don't know I possess this information. If this were to leak out, the three factions would be seen as a prime target.''

''Get to the point,'' Ichigo interrupted. Hades's chuckles grew louder and louder, his ribcage seemed to almost tremble because of his laughter.

''Always so eager to get to business. In my honest opinion, those three factions have been on top for way too long. I simply wish to… bring them down a bit,'' Hades explained.

''So you want to destroy them?'' Ichigo concluded. His hand squeezed the handle of his Zanpakuto. ''You think I'm going to do that for you?''

Hades shook his head. ''I wouldn't dare to expect such a thing. All I simply ask of you is to take a watch over the movements of these factions. Aside from that, you're free to do whatever your heart desires.'' Hades raised his hands, trying to indicate he had nothing to hide. ''Your personal problems are of no concern to me.''

Ichigo narrowed his eyes. Even if Hades had saved his life, he was far from being considered trustworthy. The skeleton of a man had pretty much confessed he had saved him because of his power. But still, it was his only possible way out of here. The only possible way to find answers.

''Sounds fine to me, but there must be some sort of catch,'' Ichigo inquired.

Hades scratched his cheekbone. ''You're still on the edge, I see. There's indeed a thing I neglected to mention earlier…''

''And that is?''

''Consider it part of repaying your debt,'' Hades said as he twisted his jaw around. ''There's one of my subordinate's who hasn't been on her… best behaviour. The other Reapers don't have the patience to deal with her, so I consider sending her along with you an adequate disciplinary measure.''

''Great, so I gotta take care of your business and play babysitter?'' Ichigo muttered to himself, before looking back towards Hades. ''Anyway, tell me where I need to go, and then I'm out of here.''

''Simply go back down the stairs, Charon should've gotten everything ready now.'' Hades dismissed Ichigo with a wave of his hand. ''Go, Ichigo. I hope our cooperation will bear fruit for both our causes.''

Ichigo turned around, not saying another word. He was going to comply.

For now.

The other Grim Reapers did not make their appearance as Ichigo made his way down the stairs. Yet he could still feel their presence, their shadows floating around. Just like Hades had said, Charon was standing on the shore now, next to a portal. Two new individuals had appeared as well. Both Grim Reapers.

The first one was short in stature. Their cloak was pure white, something that made them stand out from any other Reaper he had seen so far. Their mask resembled a skull as usual, though it was decorated with rich colors. It almost looked like something a kid would wear out on a costume party. Ichigo groaned, this must've been the troublesome Reaper Hades had been talking about before.

The other Reaper was much taller. Charon, who was already a hunchback, looked like a midget in comparison to him. Their cloak was one Ichigo had not seen on any other Reaper either, but he had seen it on himself. They both shared the same pitch black color. His mask was just made of some kind of dark material as well, and Ichigo could not see any eyes through the sockets, all there was left to gaze at was a pure abyss.

''Heya, kid. I see ya got used to moving around again. Did it all go well?'' Charon called out to Ichigo. Ichigo made his way over to the portal and nodded towards the ferryman.

''It went as well as it could,'' Ichigo said with a sigh. He threw a glance at the newly arrived Reapers before looking back at Charon, his eyes slightly narrowed. ''And who are these guys?''

''Ichigo Kurosaki,'' the tall Reaper spoke in a deep, booming voice. His was distorted and choppy, almost like it was a machine speaking. ''I am Thanatos, head of the Grim Reapers. Hades has commanded me to stay in touch with you once you head out to the world of humans. I will contact you from time to time, and you shall relay the information you have obtained to me,'' Thanatos explained, before nodding his head towards the direction of the shorter Reaper. ''This is Bennia, the girl that will be accompanying you.''

''Yo,'' Bennia greeted Ichigo with a mock salute. Ichigo rolled his eyes beneath his mask. This girl was already screaming trouble.

''Well, I suppose we ain't got any time to waste, huh? We're all busy people after all,'' Charon said with a grin. He proudly presented the portal, as if displaying a well earned prize. ''Just go through here, and y'all will be in the human world in no time. Do be careful though, the road might get a bit shaky.''

Ichigo managed to smile slightly beneath his mask. In his experience, there had never been a perfect portal for any world he'd been too. ''Alright. Thanks, Charon.''

With that, Ichigo stepped into the portal, Bennia following alongside him.

A new world awaited, and hopefully, it held the answers to Ichigo's question.

_**~~Ab Aeterno~~**_

''Ichigo.''

''...''

''Ichigo…''

''...''

''Ichigo!''

''What?!''

''I'm tired.''

''What do you mean, you're tired?! We've been on the move for an hour tops.''

Ichigo was quickly starting to why the Grim Reapers were not capable enough of handling Bennia.

She was a small, bubbly, bundle of energy. Even with her flashy outfit on, most would probably assume she was a kid out on a Halloween party, let alone a demigod who reaped souls. She hadn't shut up since the moment they went through the portal, and her constant blabbering was getting on Ichigo's nerves. It didn't bother him as much as he had initially thought though. The girl slightly reminded him of Nelliel, as much as he hated to say it.

''An hour is a lot of time! We haven't even had a single break,'' Bennia whined as she tugged at Ichigo's cloak, ''come on, you don't even know where we're going, do you?''

He didn't. He really didn't. All he knew that this was the world of the living, this was Japan, and they were in a place called Kuoh. That was enough to give him but a sliver of hope. He wanted to believe that other people he knew were still alive, that he wasn't just one lucky — or maybe unlucky — survivor at the whim of fate.

''Fine, we'll take a break over here,'' Ichigo said in compliance, as they took to a halt on the rooftop of a nearby building. They had been hopping around for about an hour without a goal or destination, as Bennia had fairly pointed out earlier. Perhaps now was the time to set the priorities straight.

''Bennia,'' Ichigo addressed the girl in a surprisingly serious tone. Bennia, who was sitting on the roof with her legs dangling off the edge, turned her head towards Ichigo. Her big eyes that stared at him from underneath her mask glimmered with innocence, yet a tinge of mischief also sparkled in her eyes.

''Hm?''

''I'm going to be very honest with you. I don't really care a lot for what Hades wants, I'm here for my own business,'' Ichigo said. Bennia turned her gaze onto the city that laid in front of them. It was about to turn dark, and the city was slowly being swallowed by the dusk.

''Same here,'' Bennia chirped, swinging her legs back and forth. ''It's so boring down in the realm of the dead, and all the other Reapers are so serious. This is my first time in the world of the living too. I hope we can have some fun here.''

Ichigo couldn't help but laugh. Maybe having Bennia with him wasn't so bad after all, even with her constant babbling and nagging. It was certainly better than being alone.

A sudden wetness fell down on Ichigo's head and shoulders. Seconds passed, and a torrent of rain unleashed itself from the sky. Ichigo cursed, they'd better find a place that could actually serve as a shelter. Bennia however, did not seem as concerned. She looked up at the sky, even as the droplets invaded the eye holes in her mask.

''You seem really interested,'' Ichigo teased. ''it's just rain, you know.''

''I've never seen it before,'' Bennia muttered, as she continued to stare up to the sky. ''It doesn't rain in the realm of the dead.''

''Oh,'' Ichigo said, at a loss of words. Rain was such a regular occurrence for him, he could not imagine what it would be like to see it for the first time in your life.

''So what does it do? The rain,'' Bennia asked.

''The rain?'' Ichigo repeated. It seemed like such a strange question. ''Well, it gives fresh water back to the land, I guess.''

''That's not what I mean,'' Bennia shook her head, ''what does it do for _us_.''

''For us?'' Ichigo repeated, as he too turned his gaze towards the sky. He knew the rain very well. It clouded his heart whenever he despaired. When he'd lose hope, it would drown his world. He had seen it for himself.

''It doesn't do much for us. It only hides the tears.''

They both remained uncharacteristically silent as the rainy night consumed Kuoh. Minutes passed, and eventually they were brought back to their senses by the strange sound of metal clashing together.

''What's that? It's coming from the alleys,'' Bennia said, as she hopped back on her feet.

''Only one way to find out,'' Ichigo muttered as he dashed away, ignoring Bennia's cries to slow down. He jumped through the air, and the noise became louder and louder. He stopped, and came to the sight of a rather interesting scene.

A man, dressed in clothes of a clergy for whatever reason, stood across from a boy who was around Ichigo's age. They both were clutching swords in their hands. The clergyman's sword was golden and glowing, while the boy's sword was covered in darkness. The boy was panting and had some scratches on him, while the clergyman seemed to be in top notch condition. The Clergyman hopped around, as he flung his sword around in random directions.

''See? Your filthy demon blade has no chance against Excalibur Rapidly!'' The clergyman laughed, his tongue licking his lips. Ichigo put a hand on his own sword, ready to get to action.

''Well, this might be our chance to get some info.''

* * *

**Sad news and good news. Good news, new story! Bad news, the chapters I had written for my already existing fics have vanished for a second time. It's getting a bit frustrating, so I might just focus on one shots and short stories for the time being. This was just a fun little idea I had, that ended up evolving into something bigger. There aren't enough Bleach/DxD fanfics around, so I decided to add to the assortment. I'd rather get this first chapter published, even if I do not continue this immediately, in case I lose my files again.**

**This story has a bit of all genres, though the main focus is most likely action, Ichigo's development and maybe a bit of romance. I already have an idea for Ichigo's love interest, so that will be popping up in later chapters. I also want to expand on DxD lore with this story, as I did in the first part of this chapter. I feel like a lot of the background information and history of things and events in DxD is pushed aside, and I'd like to change that. As you might've noticed, canonically we're in the Excalibur Arc right now, but the story is pretty much completely canon divergent from this point on.**

**Anyway, if you enjoyed this chapter, please follow and favorite, and leave me a review with your thoughts. If you are a long time reader of mine and have any preference for which stories I should continue, do let me know, as I am kinda lost right now and am just pushing out the things I had already written (and the things that weren't deleted). I hope you guys have a great day and I hope to see you all in chapter 2.**


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